Srinagar, June 29
In view of the significant number of unregistered pilgrims and who have arrived ahead of their scheduled date of the yatra, the Divisional Administration, Kashmir, in coordination with the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), J&K Bank and Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir, have established seven counters each at Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, and Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), Nowgam, Srinagar, to facilitate such yatris to obtain registration before they can proceed to the yatra base camps.

“This facility is in addition to the current registration arrangement available to yatris at various locations in Jammu, including Vaishnavi Dham, Saraswati Dham, Jammu Haat and Ram Mandir,” said Navin K. Choudhary, CEO, SASB.

“All the yatris are advised to obtain registration for the date on which they wish to undertake the Yatra beforehand to avoid unnecessary difficulties and inconvenience to themselves as well as the administration,” the CEO said.

The CEO further reiterated that the yatris should cooperate with the administration and should not reach base camps without first obtaining registration.

“In addition, they should reach the base camps only a day before they are scheduled to undertake the yatra. If they have arrived without registration or ahead of their date of registration, they should obtain current registration from the counters established in Jammu and Srinagar,” he said.

Meanwhile, 6,132 yatris left Baltal and 4,409 left Pahalgam for the Holy Shrine. Today, 11,530 pilgrims had the darshan of the Holy Ice-Shivlingam.

“The weather in the morning was cloudy and there were a few spells of rain in the yatra area. However, in the afternoon, the weather remained clear in most of the yatra area. The yatris were stopped for brief periods at the access control gates at Chandanwari and Baltal when there were strong showers,” said an official spokesman.

Srinagar, June 29
The police has arrested a man in north Kashmir’s Sopore town for allegedly killing his four-year-old daughter over a suspicion that he was not her biological father.

Altaf Ahmad Rather was arrested after circumstantial and scientific evidence corroborated his involvement in the murder of his daughter Muskaan Altaf. Rather had killed the girl by choking her mouth and nose and later slit her throat, a senior police official said.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for north Kashmir J P Singh said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of SDPO, Sopore, Mushtaq Ahmad and assisted by Dangiwacha police station SHO Muzaffar Ahmad was constituted by Superintendent of Police, Sopore, Imtiyaz Hussain to investigate the gruesome murder.

On June 14, Rather had reported to the police that his eight-year-old daughter Muskan Altaf had been missing from her house since morning and they had been searching for her in the village and surrounding areas, but failed to trace her.

The next day on June 15, the police found the throat slit body of the missing girl in an apple orchard on outskirts of Laisar village of Rafiabad area of Baramulla.

The DIG said a sharp-edged knife, a Rs 10 currency note and an empty jute bag were recovered from the site. The body was examined by a team of doctors at the district hospital, Baramulla, and later handed it over to the family, Singh said.

During investigation, suspicion aroused against the father of the victim who was later called for questioning, the official said. “The girl was last seen in the company of her father and he was asked to explain the circumstances leading to her disappearance and murdered.

It was found from marriage and medical records that the baby was born in less than nine months of the marriage of her parents,” the official said.

This made Rather to suspect him of not being her biological father and over a period of time, this developed into an extreme hatred, the DIG said.

The official said another motive was Rather’s greed as he was expecting cash compensation from the government once his daughter was found murdered and blame the militants as his wife was a panchayat member.

He said the girl’s father took her to the apple orchard where he chocked her nose and mouth with his hand and consequently she collapsed and died on the spot. “Thereafter to mislead the police, he slit the throat of his dead daughter with a knife and concealed the body in a bag and hid it under the grass and bushes,” police said.

Rather also misled the police by providing false information about her age and claimed that she was eight-year-old instead of four.

Srinagar, June 29
State Congress president Saifuddin Soz has thanked party vice-president Rahul Gandhi for providing Rs 10 lakh each to panchayats in the state.

“This direct grant of Rs 10 lakh to each panchayat will revolutionalise democratic decentralisation and give a push to the development process,” said Soz in a statement.

The state Congress president expressed hope that the money would be directly sent to the panchayats under the new scheme titled Direct Cash Transfers.

“Rahul Gandhi has put in strenuous efforts to convince the Government of India that the proposal from the Union Ministry of Rural Development to this effect should be accepted,” Soz said.

“Rahul’s gesture and his efforts will provide an opportunity to panchayats to participate directly in the democratic process and be effective instruments in the developmental process,” he said.

Anantnag, June 29
Amid stray incidents of stone-pelting, a complete shutdown was today observed in Anantnag town on the third death anniversary of three teenagers who were alleged killed by the police in Anchidora area of the town in 2010.

Although no separatist group had called for the shutdown, local youth had circulated posters appealing people to pay tributes to the slain youth.

Sources said all commercial establishments, offices, schools and other work places remained closed throughout the day.

Traffic remained off the roads, while there was heavy deployment police and paramilitary personnel.

A “fateh-khwani” was conducted by the locals in the morning, while sporadic incidents of stone-pelting were reported from different parts of the town.

Three teenagers -- Shujat-ul-Islam (17), Imitiyaz Ahmad Yeetoo (15) and Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khanday (15) -- were allegedly killed by the police in the compound of a house in Anchidora area during 2010 summer unrest.

While the police had claimed that the three were killed by unidentified gunmen, a magisterial inquiry initiated by the government had indicted two sub-inspectors and three constables.

The police, however, lodged an FIR against a constable and the rest have just been transferred to other places.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat executive member and Peoples League chairman Mukhtar Ahmad Waza visited the families of the slain teenagers in Anchidora and SK Colony and paid tributes them.

Kupwara, June 29
In a bid to trap wild animals, mostly leopards, posing a serious threat to humans and livestock, the Wildlife Department has set up cages at eight places in Kupwara district.

For past three weeks, however, the animals are evading the traps adding to the woes of the residents.

“We have set up cages near the BSF headquarters, Kupwara, Drugmulla, Shadipora and Rationpora villages, but for past three weeks, the animals continue to evade the trap,” said a wildlife official.

“Although, we are changing the location of traps at regular intervals, but the animals continue to evade the traps giving us a tough time,” he added. A few days ago, the authorities managed to trap a leopard at Drugmulla village, nearly six weeks after a trap was laid.

Residents of many villages, including Charkote, Maidanpora, Dardpora and Warnow in Lolab, said wild animals were on prowl in their villages, posing a serious threat to their lives and livestock. They said animals had killed dozens of cattle and were posing great danger to the lives of humans, especially the children.

“We fear to step out of our homes in the evening as animals enter human habitations. Livestock is increasingly falling prey to the wild animals. Despite repeated requests, the wildlife authorities choose to ignore this issue,” said Fayaz Ahmad Mir, a resident of Warnow.

Scare of wild animals is giving people sleepless nights in some villages of Handwara tehsil as well. Although, the authorities have laid traps in four affected villages, including Jagarpora, Wadar, Wadarbala and Shanu, but only three cubs have been trapped. Residents of Ramhal, Rajwar, Tumpora, Devaspora, Sarmarg and Wadarbala said about two dozen leopards were roaming in the villages and dozens of livestock had been killed.

On June 25, a bear attacked and injured two persons in Tumpora village when they were working in a vegetable field. “Bears are on prowl and we are living amid a serious threat to our lives and livestock. The scare of animals has confined us indoors as we fear to work in the fields. The department should take necessary measures to trap the animals increasingly becoming dangerous for the mankind,” said Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Devaspora.

Block forest officer Habibullah Khan said, “We are sparing no efforts in trapping the wild animals alive and sending them to the zoo. Traps have been laid at many places and we are monitoring the progress round-the-clock.”

Srinagar, June 29
A panel of Kashmir Ulemas (religious scholars), which was formed last month following the arrest of self-styled faith healer and fake dervish Gulzar, has prepared a detailed fatwa against him and his ‘bogus’ belief system.

The fatwa (religious decree), which has been submitted for scrutiny, would be made public soon.

Gulzar Reshi, alias Syed Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, was arrested on May 21 after four minor girls accused him of raping them. The girls were students at a bogus religious seminary founded by Gulzar in the Budgam area.

“The panel today held an important session, wherein the religious scholars, who have been nominated to the panel, discussed the issues in detail and analysed the bogus belief system of fake dervish Gulzar,” a spokesman of Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (joint council of Ulema) said.

“To save Kashmiri Muslims and Islam from this great chaos and confusion created by his bogus belief system, these Ulemas have also prepared a comprehensive decree (fatwa), which has been submitted to the Majlis-e-Tahaffuz-e-Iman (council for protection of faith) and the next step would be announced accordingly”, he said.

The prominent religious scholars who attended the meeting to prepare the fatwa against Guzlar and his bogus belief system included Mufti Nazir Ahmad Qasmi, Aga Syed Mohammad Taqi, Mufti Abdul Rashid Muftahi, Mufti Mohammad Yaqoob Baba Madni and Maulana Showkat Hussain Keng among others, he said.

In its meeting on May 28, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema had formed two panels following the arrest of the self-styled faith healer and fake dervish.

To save Kashmiri Muslims and Islam from the confusion created by the fake dervish’s belief system, these Ulemas have also prepared a comprehensive fatwa, which has been submitted to the Majlis-e-Tahaffuz-e-Iman (council for protection of faith) and the next step would be announced accordingly
— A spokesman for Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema

Srinagar, June 29
Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir has termed the recent visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to the state as a precursor to the holistic development of the state.

Addressing a public meeting at Goigam near here yesterday, the minister said the Prime Minister during his previous visits to the state, often talked about politics but during the recent visit, he talked about development, welfare and prosperity of the state.

“The visit will have an impact on the state’s economy and prosperity in the long run,” he said.

Hailing the gesture of the Prime Minister for providing a whopping amount of Rs 710 crore for land acquisition, Mir said the initiative would help the state government in completing major road projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana which were pending for want of funds.

The minister described the horticulture as the backbone of the state’s economy and said the Central government would be approached for enhancing funds for this sector. He said the state was the largest fruit producer in the country and was getting Rs 30 crore as incentive under the Horticulture Mission.

Srinagar, June 29
A three-day international conference on ‘Cooperative Development, Peace and Security in Central Asia - Challenges and Prospects’ was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed at the University of Kashmir here today.

Governor NN Vohra presided over the function. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also present on the occasion. The conference has been supported by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and jointly organised by the Centre of Central Asian Studies (CCAS), University of Kashmir and the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), Chandigarh.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union minister Salman Khurshid and Governor NN Vohra at the University of Kashmir in Srinagar on Saturday. Tribune photo: Amin War

In his welcome address, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Kashmir Talat Ahmad sought support from the Union Ministry of External Affairs for the scholars of the university to secure internship at the Ministry. “I will use this occasion to request the Union minister to see if our students and scholars can be kept as interns in the ministry. It will provide them necessary exposure and open new vistas for them to understand the foreign policy of the country.”

The VC said there were many scholars undergoing research at the CCAS and if they could get an opportunity to interact and learn from experts in the Ministry, it will help them in handling future assignments with more confidence and buoyancy.

Rashpal Malhotra, Executive Vice-Chairman, CRRID, dwelt on the activities of the organisation and the aims and objectives of organising the conference. He read out a message of the Prime Minister sent for the conference.

SS Gill, Director General, CRRID, talked about the establishment, evolution, history, growth and activities of CRRID. He said the joint organisation of the conference by CRRID and the University of Kashmir was an indicator of a long-term and sustained cooperation between both the entities.

Aijaz A Bandey, Director, CCAS, spoke about the work done by the CCAS over the past 35 years of its establishment and the publications brought out by it. 

Srinagar, June 29
The Raahat Ghar, Zakura, run by the Guild for Service, New Delhi, celebrated its annual day at Government Medical College, Karan Nagar, here this evening.

Governor NN Vohra’s wife Usha Vohra was the chief guest on the occasion and Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo was the guest of honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Usha lauded the efforts of Guild for Service for running Raahat Ghar for the rehabilitation of orphans and destitute women.

She said the confidence displayed by children who put up a variety of programmes indicated that they were balanced young girls who were happy with whatever they were doing. “This also demonstrates that Raahat Ghar, besides meeting their requirements of food, shelter and education, has contributed to their psychological rehabilitation,” she said.

She lauded the efforts of Dr Mohini Giri and Dr Girija Dhar for the welfare of destitute children and women.

Usha said the Governor wanted to visit Raahat Ghar and discuss its requirements with the functionaries.

She felicitated children for achieving academic excellence and the staff for working with dedication.

Itoo appreciated the work done by Raahat Ghar functionaries for the rehabilitation of orphans and their efforts to make them independent.

Dr Mohini honoured the special guests by presenting them mementos on the occasion.

Srinagar, June 29
Reacting over the statement of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid that he is “ashamed of the 1991 Kunan Poshpora mass rape”, Kashmir-based human rights group J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) has said the prosecution of security personnel involved in the act is the only meaningful response required.

“It took 22 years for someone in the government to partially acknowledge the Kunan Poshpora mass rape. It is obviously not enough. Justice cannot be substituted by mere acknowledgements,” JKCCS and villagers of Kunan Poshpora said in a joint statement here.

While replying to a query over the issue during an interactive session here on Friday, Salman Khurshid had tendered an apology for the Kunan Poshpora mass rape incident, saying he felt ashamed over the fact that the incident had happened in his country.

“The prosecution of 125 accused Rajputana Rifles personnel is the only meaningful response required. Anything else like the present lip service will be construed as sustained impunity for the perpetrators,” the statement read.

Over 30 women were allegedly raped by Army personnel in the remote Kunan Poshpora village in Kupwara on February 23, 1991.

The case was reopened by a magisterial court in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district after 22 years on June 19, with directions to the police to further investigate the matter within three months.

“Further, by accepting helplessness in dealing with the situation, the Indian External Affairs Minister makes a strong argument for the Indian state institutions to step aside and immediately allow Jammu and Kashmir to be brought to the attention of international law and institutions,” the joint statement said, adding that “reconciliation minus justice is unacceptable.”

It took 22 years for someone in the government to partially acknowledge the Kunan Poshpora mass rape. It is obviously not enough. Justice cannot be substituted by mere acknowledgements
—Joint statement of JKCCS and Kunan Poshpora villagers

Srinagar, June 29
The Adbee Markaz Kamraz (AMK) organised a literary function to release ‘Panun Doud Panen Dug’, a collection of Kashmiri poems by the organisation’s vice-president Rafeeq Masoodi yesterday.

Prof Rahman Rahi presided over the function with Muhammad Yusuf Taing, Muhammad Shafi Pandit, Aziz Hajni and Shujaat Bukhari in the presidium. Masoodi’s mother, too, was present on the occasion.

In his presidential address, Rahi delved on the theme of the collection and termed it as one of the few contemporary poetry initiatives in Kashmiri language which has described the pain and agony of the poet’s motherland.

“On the one hand, Masoodi’s poetry inspires the reader and on the other hand, it reminds him of the lost ethos of the society,” he said. Prof Rahi appreciated Masoodi for daring to tread on an unusual path in his poetic expression, saying he had dealt with the subjects of human relations and social issues simply yet powerfully.

Terming the book as a potent addition to the Kashmiri poetry, Taing said the poet had described his experiences in a novel way, which was actually the portayal of the life of any Kashmiri. “Masoodi’s style is simple yet aesthetic in presentation. He has described his views, experiences and aspirations in such a way that the reader identifies himself with it,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig said Kashmiri language was a distinguished language, which gave possibilities to reach the literary zenith. He expressed disappointment that people were not speaking with their children in Kashmiri.

Masoodi said he drew inspiration from his motherland. “I wrote what I observed and what influenced me. It is in fact a spontaneous flow of my thoughts which have been put on paper,” he said.